Val has been the leading member of the organizing committee for the North Jersey National Chemistry Week. She has enlisted hundreds of chemists from industry and academe, retired chemists, along with high school teachers, college and high school students, and girl and boy scouts to demonstrate the importance of chemistry in everyday life by overseeing  dozens of hands-on activities.  The North Jersey Section's EXPO has attracted thousands of attendees.

National Chemistry Day, first celebrated in 1987 by members of the ACS Local Sections, educators, and other individual volunteers, was a vision of former ACS President, Dr. George C. Pimentel. His vision was for ACS to hold a simultaneous event nationwide to impress on the public the importance of chemistry in everyday life. The first celebration kicked off with a parade down the streets of the Washington, DC. In 1989, the celebration was expanded to a bi-yearly full-week event, and in 1993 National Chemistry Week became an annual celebration.  The North Jersey Section held its first Chem EXPO in 1994.